The present invention relates, in general, to a bumper for a motor vehicle.
Nothing in the following discussion of the state of the art is to be construed as an admission of prior art.
Bumpers are parts of a vehicle body and typically integrated in the front and rear sections that are lined by a covering. The purpose of bumpers is the prevention or at least minimization of any damage to the vehicle structure and the protection of an occupant of the vehicle in the event of an impact at slow speed. In order to better its capability, buffers are provided and arranged anteriorly of the cross member of the bumper. The buffer is normally made of elastic material, typically plastic. In this way, the bumper receives sufficient elasticity to effectively absorb impact energy in the event of a collision with a person so that risk of injury to the person can be reduced. The buffer is secured to the cross member of the bumper, using special connectors, e.g. clips. This is costly as well as labor-intensive.
German Offenlegungsschrift DE 2 164 119, published Jul. 5, 1973, discloses a bumper for a motor vehicle, having a girder which can be subjected to bending stress and is made of two profiles which are welded together. Arranged anteriorly of the girder is a profiled U shaped member having legs which are lined with elastic material and supported in grooved areas of the girder.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,395, issued Oct. 2, 1984, describes a bumper for a motor vehicle, having a girder which can be subjected to bending stress and is secured to the vehicle body. Disposed anteriorly of the girder is a foam energy absorber. This construction is masked by an outer covering which is attached to the girder.
It would be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved bumper which obviates prior art shortcomings and which is simple in structure and inexpensive and yet reliable in operation.